Roasted Chestnut and Novello Wine Festival

An autumn festival in the village of Cocolicchio

Every year, in the heart of autumn, the small hillside hamlet of Cocolicchio transforms into a meeting point for lovers of good food and rural traditions. The Roasted Chestnut and Novello Wine Festival is organized by the Cocolicchio Cultural Association, with the patronage of the Municipality of Fasano, bringing all the warmth of an authentic village celebration to the charming square in the province of Brindisi.

The flavors of the festival

The absolute star is the genuine taste of local products, prepared by association members according to time-honored recipes. Among the stalls and glowing braziers, you can enjoy:

• Caldarroste, chestnuts roasted over an open fire, a symbol of the Apulian autumn;
• Novello wine, produced locally, young and fragrant;
• the essential péttole, soft, deep-fried dough balls typical of Apulian tradition;
• focaccia baked in the village's traditional wood-fired oven.

Music, dance, and folk traditions

The festival is about more than just gastronomy: the square comes alive with folk music and dancing, keeping visitors entertained until late at night. The 2025 edition featured the group Aneme all'antik, who brought the rhythms and dances of Southern folk tradition to the stage. There is also the traditional rural raffle, a highly anticipated game offering prizes linked to local produce.

A growing tradition

The event has a well-established history: the tenth edition took place in 2018, while the fourteenth was held on November 9, 2024, and the fifteenth on November 22, 2025. Year after year, the festival has grown in popularity, attracting curious visitors and tourists from neighboring towns and becoming one of the most cherished autumn events in the Fasano area.

Fasano and the Apulian villages

Cocolicchio is one of the small hillside districts that dot the municipality of Fasano, between the Itria Valley and the Adriatic coast, in an area of Apulia famous for its ancient olive trees, trulli, and masserie (farmhouses). Participating in the festival means discovering a lesser-known side of Apulia, where local associations and communities proudly preserve the flavors and customs of rural life.

The 2026 edition

The dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been announced by the Cocolicchio Cultural Association. The event traditionally takes place in the second half of November; as soon as the calendar and program are published, this page will be updated with all the details.